Pulling the plug on Carter would be premature

The Nevada basketball team has quit on itself and coach David Carter this season.

It hasn’t been an every-game problem, but even once is enough to raise eyebrows.

And Carter and his staff have fallen short in recruiting. This team doesn’t have the pieces it needs to compete in the Mountain West. That has been clear from the first couple of weeks of the conference schedule.

The result has been a 3-13 conference record (12-18 overall) — last place in the nine-team MWC heading into the conference tournament this week — following Saturday’s 77-66 loss at Colorado State. And that comes two years after an 8-8 WAC campaign (12-19 overall).

But this is no time to panic or allow emotions to steer the ship. Carter will surely be on notice when the new athletic director is named this week, and he should be. This team is fractured and he’s in charge. But this is no time for a change in leadership.

In many ways, Carter has been a victim of circumstances that have played a major role in where the Pack finds itself right now.

Nevada basketball coach David Carter directs his team during its game against New Mexico at Lawlor Events Center on Wednesday. (Tom Smedes, Special to the RGJ)

The highest hurdle this team has had to clear has been the move to the MWC, one of the top three or four conferences in the country, more so in terms of depth and parity than national championship contenders. And a deep conference is more difficult for a struggling team than a top-heavy conference.

It’s been a daunting task. The MWC doesn’t have the historical national reputation in basketball that an ACC or Big East has, so it’s difficult to give the conference that level of credit despite its success. But it truly is akin to the Wolf Pack football team moving to the Big 12 or Pac-12 and expecting it to be competitive in its first season.

Football coach Chris Ault, who resigned in December after 28 seasons, would have been given a free pass had his team gone 3-9 in the Pac-12. Carter deserves the same leeway.

And it’s not like Carter had time to prepare for the move. It was the Mountain West that approached Nevada with an invitation in the summer of 2010, catching the Wolf Pack administration off guard.

It was the same summer when Carter was welcoming a huge freshman class that included Deonte Burton, Jerry Evans Jr., Kevin Panzer, Devonte Elliott, Jordan Finn and Jordan Burris.

Carter’s hands were tied. It followed the season in which he lost underclassmen Armon Johnson (junior) and Luke Babbitt (sophomore) to the NBA. No coach wants to have to replace more than half of his roster in one recruiting class.

Finally, the Wolf Pack would have to eat four years of Carter’s contract, about $1.2 million guaranteed (he’s signed through the 2016-17 season). That alone is reason enough to retain him, but even if he had just a year or two left on his contract he deserves another season.

Carter can choose not to renew any player’s one-year scholarship, but that sends more negative signals and causes more disruption than it’s worth. It affects players’ ability to graduate, the university’s APR and Carter’s ability to sign players in the future if they know he’s willing to make such a drastic decision.

Such moves are usually reserved for players who fall short in academics or repeatedly violate team rules.

Carter is stuck, but that will matter little if he can’t find a way to get the returning players to re-invest in the program in the offseason and land the impact big man that has been elusive.

Matthew Atewe could be that guy, and lord knows if early playing time is important to him, the 6-foot-9 shot blocker who also has offers from Auburn, Charlotte and Nebraska has an easy decision to make.

He’s clearly Carter’s No. 1 priority when the season ends, which will be in the conference play-in game Tuesday or Wednesday when the play-in winner gets top-seeded New Mexico.

Priority No. 2 is finding some leadership, which will be difficult to do given that this team will look a lot like it did this year. It has to develop naturally, and there is no evidence that quality exists among the returning players.

Boise State’s first year in the MWC was not an easy one. The Broncos finished in the basement at 3-11 (13-17 overall). This year, they’re 9-7 and 21-9 in a tougher MWC.

Nevada’s got a tougher task, given so many of those 2010-11 freshmen remain on the team. It could be a two-year project.

I think when Cater said that he recruited for the Wac it was a put down for the players.Turn overs players standing around not moveing the ball is coaching. You are as good as your teacher enough said.

I agree with you Dan that it is premature to talk about getting rid of Carter. But that being said, this is totally unacceptable. I fully understand this team was recruited to play in the WAC and as luck would have it the MWC is really up this season. I don't expect the conference to go backwards, so expect it to be very strong next season as well. One recruit won't be the difference if Burton goes and Panzer & Elliott don't do something to increase their size/strength and improve their mentality. I'm most disheartened by the fact that this team has quit on Carter, or I guess he's lost them would be more accurate. Many changes need to be made. Should be interesting to watch.

About Dan Hinxman

Longtime RGJ Media reporter Dan Hinxman brings you authoritative and engaging stories on Wolf Pack athletics and other local sports stories. Find everything that doesn’t fit in his Wolf Pack sports blog here. Follow him on Twitter at @DanHinxmanRGJ.